1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to apparel. More particularly, this invention relates to protective garments in the form of an improved infant bib.
2. Description of the Related Art
Protective garments such as infant bibs are used on most infants and children to protect their bodies and clothing from dribbled and spilled liquids and other food-stuff materials. Many bibs use absorbent materials, such as terrycloth, while others use impermeable materials that repel liquids and food instead of absorbing them. Some bibs are reusable, like clothing, and can be washed in a washing machine while others are made of plastics and can be wiped with a cloth. Others are disposable and are meant for single use.
Various bib configurations have been developed to place and secure the bib to a wearer, such as an infant. While there are many configurations for securing a bib to an infant, they can all be placed into two general categories.
The first category includes bibs with two arm-like appendages which wrap around the infant's neck and attach/secure behind the infant's neck using fasteners such as buttons, strings, snaps, tape or hook and loop fasteners sold under the trademark VELCRO.
The second category includes bibs having an opening within the body of the bib so that the bib can slide down over the infant's head. The opening may be a circular hole cut into the bib, or else comprise a cutout employing a neck band to hang the bib around an infant's neck.
It is our observation that these two general bib configurations present significant disadvantages that has heretofore not been recognized. Since both of the configurations entail something wrapping only around an infant's neck, they both create a possibly dangerous situation in which any loading or downward force that is applied to the bib is transferred and concentrated onto an infant's neck—a part of the infant's anatomy that is least likely to be able to tolerate a significant loading or blow to it (e.g., if a portion of a bib were to become entangled in a highchair joint when an infant leans forward; then, if the infant leans back quickly and the bib does not move or stretch, the infant causes itself to potentially take a severe and injurious blow to the. back of its neck).
Additionally, the fact that most portions of such prior art bibs can easily be moved away from an infant's torso means that such portions are at a greater risk of being ensnared or caught in or on some nearby object. Such situations may quickly present a choking hazard for the infant due to the infant's movement or the movement of the object on which the bib is caught.
Therefore, a need exists for a safer bib which does not create situations that potentially expose an infant to neck injuries or choking hazards.